If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Re: Why do beekeepers argue so much?

It does not help that beekeeping as practiced by most of us, is NOT a team sport. It is just you and a hive of bees. Our minds get conditioned to only think of our own situations, and not that of others.

A wise man said:

" I've been doing this for forty years" all I can think of is that he shoulda quit 39 years ago.

Some days I think he is right. It must take a smarter man to know when to quit.(Yes, us oldtimers are more set in our ways)

Re: Why do beekeepers argue so much?

Roland:

Five Generations, what else is there to say. The knowledge of bees passed from generation to generation in your family seems staggering to one of less than two years of experience. If you weren't so **** far away I would come and visit just to hear you speak of bees. What I wouldn't give to walk around your apiary and just let you explain your operation.

Re: Why do beekeepers argue so much?

>i can't say that i'm able to relate to either of your 'some do....' or 'some don't....' examples
>in my opinion, i see your characterization of the diverse methods as favoring one over the other, even with the disclaimors.

Of course. I have my view of the world and can't help but favor methods in tune with it..

Re: Why do beekeepers argue so much?

|||||>>>>>>>tunnel vision<<<<<<<<<|||||||

tunnel vision doesnt help anything. I farm with my brothers, and we regularly meet through out the month to manage the farm. This discussion and feed back helps avoid the tunnel vision problem that arises from time to time

Re: Why do beekeepers argue so much?

Squarepeg asked:

can you share in what ways, if any, the arrival of varroa affecting beekeeping as your family has known it all these years?

I believe the largest effect as genetic. We had been developing, by grafting, our own strain of bee. Nothing super or special, just one that wintered well, expanded well in the spring, produced ample honey surplus, and was gentle. Because of the increased winter mortality from mites, and the subsequent replacement with packages and their queens, all of those genetics have been lost. I believe we are slowly making progress in that direction again. One yard has not had any packages added for five years, but has a couple of mean queens that must be killed every year, and honey production seems a little off also.

Actually, mites are a walk in the park compared to CCD. Mites kill a portion of the hives, CCD is usually around 90 percent. That is on the past now.

I don't think we are doing anything special to be here so long, just more stubborn(read German) than average.

Re: Why do beekeepers argue so much?

Originally Posted by Mbeck

If the topic comes up he give little nuggets of wisdom that some may think tear down the competition but offer no real insight. I was beginning to fall into this trap thinking who is this guy with his "secret recipe" think he is. I wish he'd shut up or offer some real advise. ( don't take it personally). I read every post he made, searched out post of his on Bee-l and learned a lot. Lots of people attacked him and became personally offended that he wouldn't hold thier hand..
Sorry I had to use you as a example.... Hope your not offended!

Take it personally..... Noop, not me. I'm the type that is never quit satisfieded in my work, so I'm alway thinking there something better out there around the corner. You will also very rarely here me boo hoo, that's not to say I don't get beat up at times. You can look at it three ways, (1) Watch it happen (2) make it happen (3) or wonder what the hell just happened. I try to stay away from #3.

Re: Why do beekeepers argue so much?

Originally Posted by Roland

Unfortunately, ATTEMPTING to explain #3 is the reason we argue so much.

Agreeded,well said Roland. I think you have to get pass the "fluff factor". There was a thread that was pretty hot over on the commercial beekeeping thread talking about ingredients of pollen sub, this one ole boy tooting his horn petty good talking about his pollen mix & mirical dust that he said works great.

Well..... when you google a search it looks like he's the chief spokesman for CCD. So, then I looked up the FSA records only to find out that he's been gettings $100,000 plus check from the gov E-LAP program. So do you want to waste your time arguing with that.

P.S. I tryed to get some of that porgram money but all I could qualified is for crums, They said you didn't have much of a loss.